Sten

What is Sten (different name)

• Full name / Brand: Sten(Pharmacia Upjohn in some countries).

• Composition: A combination injectable androgen. The typical ampule contained:

  • Testosterone Cypionate 75 mg

  • DHEA (Prasterone / Dihydroepiandrosterone) 20 mg

  • Dihydroxyprogesterone (or Hydroxyprogesterone) 20 mg

• It was designed as a “balanced” androgenic preparation for men with androgen deficiency.

• It is not a single steroid, but a blend of a long-acting testosterone ester plus small amounts of pro-hormone and a progestin.

---

Benefits

• Provides a steady supply of testosterone (like other long-acting testosterone esters).

• The added DHEA was thought to improve libido/mood.

• The added hydroxyprogesterone was meant to counteract some estrogenic effects (though in reality it adds progestogenic activity).

• Indicated for male hypogonadism, low libido, menopausal symptoms in some older protocols.

• In bodybuilding circles it was sometimes used as a “mild” androgen replacement.

---

Side Effects

Because it contains testosterone + DHEA + a progestin, side effects can be mixed:

• Androgenic: oily skin, acne, hair loss (if predisposed), increased body hair.

• Estrogenic (from testosterone aromatization): water retention, gynecomastia (risk).

• Progestogenic (from hydroxyprogesterone): potential increase in prolactin, mood changes, possible sexual side effects.

• Cardiovascular: changes in lipids, possible blood pressure increase.

• Others: injection site pain, suppressed endogenous testosterone.

---

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Ready-made blend, so no need to mix separate vials.

• Long-acting testosterone base (convenient dosing).

• Small DHEA dose may improve well-being.

Cons:

• Not widely available today; largely discontinued.

• The progestin component can raise prolactin or increase gynecomastia risk.

• Limited evidence on actual performance benefits vs. simple testosterone.

---

Dosage & Frequency (historical/clinical)

• Typical therapeutic dose: 1 mL (ampule) IM every 2–3 weeks.

• In bodybuilding circles: some used 1 ampule weekly (but this is off-label and increases side effects).

• Because of the progestin and DHEA, stacking with other AAS increased complexity of side effects.

---

Half-Life & Detection Time

• Driven mainly by the testosterone cypionate ester: half-life ~8–12 days.

• DHEA and hydroxyprogesterone components have much shorter plasma half-lives but progestin effects may last a few days.

• Detection time (doping): testosterone cypionate can be detected for weeks (4–8 weeks) depending on testing sensitivity; DHEA metabolites also show up but are endogenous-like.

---

Sterogenic / Progestrogenic / Prolactin Effects

• Androgenic: yes (from testosterone).

• Progestogenic: yes (from hydroxyprogesterone) → may increase prolactin indirectly.

• Estrogenic: yes (from aromatization of testosterone).

• This triple activity makes Sten more prone to hormonal “cross-talk” than plain testosterone.

---

Anabolic : Androgenic Ratio

For testosterone, the base of Sten, the ratio is roughly 100:100 (1:1).
The DHEA and hydroxyprogesterone components are weakly anabolic/androgenic themselves.
So you can think of the whole blend as being essentially ≈1:1 anabolic:androgenic with added progestin.